Gira????? What is a Gira?

This last Monday we had what is called a Gira in our congregation.  A gira is basically when a congregations most likely from the city goes to preach in rural territory to help a congregration cover territory that is not worked very often.  My congregation is pretty small so the amount of territory that we have, so one of the congregations in the city contacted our brothers about doing a gira in our area.
There were about 70 brothers and sister that came from Panama City to come out in our rural territory.  They arrived around 8:30 am and were there to preach all day with us.  The brothers divide everyone up into smaller groups and assigned captains and then we started preaching.  Because it was Monday, not a normal service day for my congregation, there was not many out from my hall so the few of us that were out helped the groups that we were assigned to, to work the territory in the best way possible.  Even though I have almost been here a year I still know all of the terriotries really good so I was happy another local sister was also in my group.  I really liked my group, I made some new friends.  It is always fun to meet new people.  Here are a few pictures of the group in the morning.

Making arrangements in the morning.

As you can see we were a huge group.  But thanks to the brothers it was all very orderly.

Lunch time.

This is a very nice couple that I met and hit if off with and we joked around all day long they were part of my group.  I originally had only planned to stay for part of the day but I was having such a good time that I decide to stay the whole day but I hadn't brought lunch with me but when you are with Jehovah's people you will always be taken care of.  The couple invited me and another sister from my hall of have lunch with there family.  They had tons of food with them, hot dogs and tons of condiments, chips, hot soup, cookies and drinks.  I started call them the local restaurant because they had such a big spread and shared with everyone.  It was fun getting to know them and some of there family that was also there.  The brother grew up here in Panama but didn't learn spanish until he was 15 years old because the area he lived in in Panama City was a english speaking area with mainly people from Jamaica and other Caribbean islands.  He is half Jamaican and half Barbados.  When he spoke english I could here alittle of the Jamaican accent he said ya man a couple of times.

Some other sisters that were in my group they were very entertaining.

It was a long day, full of good company, lots of walking in the hot sun, preaching and making new friends.  The bus came at 3:30pm to come pick the brothers and sisters up and take them back to Panama City.  All enjoyed and the congregation wants to come back again to preach some more here.  It may not seem like a long day 8:30am to 3:30pm but when you factor in walking all day up and down hill and the blazing sun it very quickly becomes a long hard day.  I got home around 4pm, tired but really happy have made new friends, gotten some new return visits and studies and content knowing that I had my best for Jehovah.